I’m two years into my 30^th and I’m still feeling my way in. My heart’s a little more fragile, my head’s getting stronger but through it all, I still have that weird sense of humor.

My heart’s been through some ups and downs. Although all is fine with me, sometimes, I wished that I could shut off some feelings so that they wouldn’t overwhelm me so. Perhaps it’s me wanting or expecting too much, hence the heartbreak. But then again, I don’t believe in half measures. I believe that you should go out to pursue what you want and be courageous enough to accept when things may not go your way. Yes, this does result in pain but then again, if you just sit back, then absolutely nothing will happen.

Somehow, turning older makes me feel a little detached. I still love birthday parties and all the madness that goes into them but on a personal level, I don’t feel any different. Yes, the body’s a little older, the mind’s a little wiser but the overall package is well…the same.

Perhaps it’s me. Perhaps we’re all mellowing out but I somehow don’t feel the need or the desire to party like a loon anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy partying as much as the next girl but these days, I rarely venture out specifically to party anymore. It’s too draining, I don’t like the music and the drinks suck. Yes, I am picky. The best chance of seeing me on a dance floor is at Union Square. Or, there is always spontaneous dancing ;o)

This year, I had a fantastic birthday with some of my closest friends. Organized by the extremely efficient DL and EC, Belle and I had a wonderful time at the Karma Kettle, a hidden gem in Dempsey Hill. The original plan was to have us show up in Back to School gear...Wait a min…WAT?! After the organizers were treated to a WTF were you thinking?! session for a Friday night party, we eventually settled on a nice dinner with friends.

Drinks and dinner with friends in comparison is an awesome alternative. I loved all the presents – but my favorite has got to be the extremely huggable, Domo. Thanks to my wacky sister and my unintentional use of that particular emoticon! Domo joins the ranks of brown things I love which sleep with me… hehe.

The other one was the amazing Australia package – thank you DC! But why, oh why no Hugh Jackman?! I felt slightly deflated. But such is the hardship...Next time ah, must give a full package, ok!

My sincerest thanks to everyone who came and made our birthday a special one and to those who called from afar or sent their wishes. To those who had initial evil birthday plans...watch out at your next birthday!

1. Not falling over
   
2. Not breaking my glasses
3. Not getting too drunk - thank you Danny, now where's my t-shirt!
   
4. Blue label
5. Uni sushi in Minoru
6. New PJs!
7. Lychee martinis in The Bellini Room
   
8. Happy Birthday, Marylin Monroe style
9. Incriminating pictures, which will remain locked for all eternity
10. Incriminating videos that will never grace cyberspace
    
11. Waking up and going for classes mildly hung-over
12. Masquer8 @ The Upper Club
    
13. Lots of crazy friends who made my birthday weekend one of the most memorable...ever!
    

I'm very inspired by a close friend's recent birthday bash, hence this little list.

Instead of the madness that usually accompanies the 'becoming-a-year-wiser', this time we all trooped to a really neat little cafe in Arab Street which served the most heart-stopping, artery-clogging cheesy (cream cheese, who'd've thunk!) brownies I've ever had...orgasmic! But I digress...What really got me was that this little cafe came with its very own little cinema. Think big, roomy couches, lots of throw pillows and comfy lounges and you're in the right place :o) This is the perfect place to accomodate all your buds for a night at the movies, where you can cheer the hero, heckle the baddie and sigh over the best friend who didn't get any. Freedom, people! I am proposing freedom to lounge whichever way you want and enjoy a movie as it should be...

Here's what I'd recommend: Witchy's top 10 list for movie night (in no order whatsoever...). Somewhat crowd pleasing, somewhat eccentric and strictly NO Pretty Woman - cos I'm biased, that's why!

1. The Sound of Music - Blue pussies, anyone? If you were there on movie night, your ears would've fallen off at this
2. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - Altogether now, I love the nightlife, I want to boogie...
3. Das Boot - it's masculine, it's 42 men stuck in a submarine with a captain that has to lead them through sheer madness. It's Bridge Over the River Kwai, in a U-boat
4. Salsa - because we've already had the time of our lives and because there's more to Menudo than Ricky Martin
5. Some Kind of Wonderful. Some of you may be familiar with my grouse with the run-of-the-mill rom-com (I can't stand most of them) BUT I do love the 1980s John Hughes movies and this is one of my all time faves...
6. Pulp Fiction - Where Mr Q reminds us why he was great, long before that idiot called Bill
7. Spartacus - Long before the mountain that broke backs, Kirk Douglas and Sir Laurence Olivier made men in skirts sexy. We will be entertained
8. Life of Brian - The reason why I go "the Messiah!" every time I meet someone called Brian...insanity at its finest
9. Grosse Point Blank - because hitmen need to be loved too...
10. The Little Mermaid - Le poisson, le poisson...the reason why I have a soft spot for psychotic French chefs. Oh, and if Ursula was a real witch, why couldn't she have made herself slimmer sooner? So susah!

I did, however reluctantly, have to let a few things go...or else this list will never end! Aye! What's missing is:

• The Drew Barrymore double-bill: Ever After and Never Been Kissed. Funnily enough, she's the ONLY Hollywood actress whose rom-coms I can stomach...
• The Princess Bride - classic fairy tale with a twist of madness
• Dude, Where's My Car - because I may be murdered after that...annnndddd ttthhheennn...
• Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey - Keanu Reeves' best role, like ever, dude!
• Velvet Goldmine - Bale + Rhys Myers + McGregor = major drooling :P
• Hedwig & the Angry Inch - For pure indulgence and because we can all watch this in a far-out blonde wig while pretending to be punk rock stars!

Anyone up for movie night?

These last two weeks were an intense time and it's a testament of a good OMO that I've lasted this long.

It's another crazy time with birthdays backed up one against another, yet another friend coming into town and new friends who've inspired a frseh new wave of craziness. For 2006, it was the year of the 3-0. We've already had a spate of buds hitting the Big 3 and then, we had the 30on30 party where two of our close friends threw themselves a crazy-ass bash that had them foot-stompingly drunk long, long before the rest of us showed up. And the stuff we saw - I knew people tended to manifest hidden tendencies when they get shit-faced, geeezuuussss. One had Flashdance aspirations, another decorated the kitchen sink, one got particularly hot and bothered and the birthday boy kept thanking everyone for coming - like a father of the bride! You guys are priceless! The blackmail photos that I have...

To get a party really started, you need the OMO, so naturally I had to make sure that they came as close to a religious experience as possible with the John. Mixers all around! And drinks to anyone whose hands are empty...We celebrated friendship in the freedom, beauty, truth and love way and in the spirit of bohemia, we also celebrated with a fiesty green drink (see picture) that blew the socks off the birthday twins...Mwahahahaha...now THIS is what I call doing shots. Guaranteed to put hair on your chest for the boys and make every guy cuter for the girls ;o)

Oh and for the people who've got birthdays coming up - namely a rabbit that shall remain un-named for now, get ready my friend - workout, go to pubs, stop drinking beer, start doing shots - cos you're NEXT.